Having retrieved her sword from the guard in charge of weapons and fastened it at her waist, the young girl saluted sharply, then turned and walked out of the Army General Staff building. In front of and behind her, officers and guards stood at attention, saluting, their gazes fervently following her agile stride.
Apart from the very few unfriendly stares, the vast majority of eyes were filled with warmth—not the kind of heat one feels toward the opposite sex, but one of reverence and admiration for a hero. They possessed a spirit of sacrifice that would gladly charge into battle at the sight of her silhouette or cover a retreat. Most importantly, no one compelled them to feel this way; this devotion came spontaneously from the lowest ranks of the military.
